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[Mari Red Bear]

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Mari looked up as the metallic raven landed on her kitchen windowsill. Its wings clicked closed and it lifted its filled beak toward her. She removed the letter from the pincher like appendage and stared at the stylized writing.

“What is it?” Gizam said from the doorway to the kitchen, her dark eyes narrowing at the metal bird.

“It’s from the Warden of Umbra.” Mari opened the letter and slowly read its contents.

So what’s Mr. Creepy have to say?”

Mari waved off the magi’s question and continued to read. The request regarding the sign was annoying, but hardly unreasonable. She was being granted special permissions as a Umbran business owner, so complying to a mild cosmetic change was not that much of a bother.

Reading the second part of the letter she let out a long sigh. Gizam was not going to like this. Not one bit. “It’s seems we are being asked to repaint the sign to match the other Umbran businesses closer to the city itself. Won’t be more than an afternoon of work.”

Mari glanced up to see Gizam’s scowl deepen. “What else?” the magi demanded.

Mari held out the letter and Gizam’s eyes scanned the words. For a long time the scholar read, seeming to be trying to absorb every letter, and the entire time her expression growing more angry. Finally she crumpled the paper in her first. “What sort of wyvern crap is this? Who does that pompus windbag think he is?”

“He’s the man who decides whether or not we get to stay in business, hun.” Mari leaned back against the sink and met Gizam’s sharp gaze unflinchingly. “It’s not like we have a choice.”

“I knew they’d pull something like this.” Gizam pointed her index finger upward, jabbing the air with each sentence aggressively. “The Order are not different then any of the others. The want to control everything. You give them any room and they’ll walk all over you. Just wait. First it’s a change to the sign and a couple guard, of course for our own protection. The next thing you know they’ll want you to redo the who place with that ugly stone they use up on Charnel Hill, or even send someone here to “manage” the place for us.”

“We knew we’d have to put up with political games when we picked this place. It’s the price we paid for a site this size over such a high energy spot.” Mari didn’t want to admit the idea of the guards bothered her as well. This was her place. The last thing she wanted was someone telling her how to run it. Gizam was right about one thing, with diplomats who desired power and control, taking over something was a series of subtle stages. “For now, as long as the guards only answer to the Warden and the two of us, we’ll deal with the intrusion. If the Order begin stepping over the line of acceptable business practices and demands, we’ll deal with that conflict straight on. Together.”

Gizam’s expression softened slightly, but the hard look never left her eyes. “You want me to send a reply?”

Mari laughed. “Not likely. You have the tact of a bull elephant. I’ll deal with the Warden. You go make me that “know them on their backsides” ‘shine you were bragging to me about. Considering some of the folks I saw last night I’m thinking we got some folks who would like that sort of gut cleanser.”